Nursing home wait list to hit 50,000 in next 6 years, advocates warn

Ontario needs more nursing home beds as well as stable funding, say opposition politicians and advocacy groups who warn wait lists will almost double over the next six years.

“Sadly, 26,500 seniors continue to go without access to a long-term care bed, as the wait list hits a new record high this year — with no new commitment from the government,” said Progressive Conservative MPP Bill Walker (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound) at Queen’s Park on Monday.

“And that list will double to 50,000 people over the next six years. Long-term care is only going to get worse, unless this government takes action now.”

He and Candace Chartier, CEO of the Ontario Long Term Care Association, also presented a petition with 11,000 signatures asking that government funding doesn’t fall below inflation — especially for “fundamentals like food and hydro in nursing homes,” said Walker, who plans to introduce a private member’s bill later this week to require just that.